Fatal Mistakes
by Edevale
Summary: Naruto has failed in his duties as Rokudaime. He wishes for Shikamaru, last living Konohan, to go back in time and correct his mistakes. Forced on a path of redemption, the broken ANBU struggles to change a dark past...Time Travel/AU.
1. A Promise

**9/6/11 Revision. I apologize to everyone. It has been SSDD for me and until now, I haven't found the motivation to write, although Naruto was always in the back of my mind. I'm surprised people are still interested in the story, so I will do my best to compensate for it as a writing major. Reading back on this now, I realize how horrible my writing was (I don't think it's much better, though I will read over everything more precisely). I plan to revise a bit, get the plot going and such.**

**This is angst. Be warned.**

* * *

"N-Naruto!"

Shikamaru Nara, head of the Nara clan and sole survivor of the Hokage's personal unit, ran towards his Hokage, despair clawing through his heart. He had managed to fight off the last few intruders, but not before Naruto was badly, and hopefully, not fatally injured. And once again, in his cursed luck, Shikamaru had gotten out alive, but this time... "H-Hokage-sama!" In his haste, he had forgotten to address the Rokudaime properly the first time.

Shikamaru bent down besides the battered and beaten body of the Hokage. His hands shaking like a leaf in the wind, he reached towards Naruto's wrist for a pulse. Relieved to find a pulse, he gently touched the Hokage's shoulder once more. "Na-Naruto-sama…" he whispered urgently. "We must move on. We can't stay here, or else..." His voice trailed off as there was no response.

There was a long moment of silence. Then barely audibly: "…Shikamaru? Is that you?" Two blue and glazed eyes opened to meet Shikamaru's dark eyes. Naruto laughed weakly, his hand coming up slowly to pat Shikamaru on the shoulder.

Shikamaru shook his head at Naruto's laugh, his body shaking with the effort to keep his tears back. The Rokudaime looked so pitiful now - a crumpled individual compared to the enthusiastic man he had seen so many years ago, when Naruto first took on the position with pride and confidence. Who were the ones that had dared do this to his precious Hokage?

"Hokage-sama," Shikamaru tried again. "We must leave now. Please get up. We'll go and rest somewhere, then come back and save Kono-"

Naruto raised a bruised hand to stop him. "Konoha is no more. I might as well say I've failed in my duty as Hokage."

Shikamaru shook his head desperately. "You didn't, Hokage-sama, you didn't…"

Naruto sighed deeply - a sigh of hidden pain and loss. He struggled to sit up, and with Shikamaru's help, managed to reach within the folds of his robes to extract a small scroll.

"Shikamaru," he said. "This is one of the Hokage's personal treasures." He thrust it out to Shikamaru. The ANBU remained motionless, unwilling to accept such a precious item.

"It's to be used in an emergency," Naruto continued. "The Yondaime created it many years ago. It's a Hokage secret."

"And why are you telling me this?" Shikamaru questioned. "Keep it for yourself. We may have to end up using it."

Naruto stared at Shikamaru, an incredulous look on his face. "We? Oh, Shikamaru, so naive..." He reached out with his other hand, taking Shikamaru's arm and placing the scroll into the ANBU's arm. "I want you to take this. It is a Time Travel Scroll."

"Time...travel?" Shikamaru repeated, wondering at such an impossible jutsu.

"Correct." Naruto lay back on the ground, groaning in pain. "I hope you can-" The Hokage suddenly choked on his words as fresh blood began pouring out of his mouth, running over his body and Konoha attire.

Shikamaru quickly ripped off a part of his jacket, dabbing at the corners of Naruto's mouth. "Naruto-sama," he said urgently. "Please stop talking, I need you to rest..."

"Stop, Shikamaru." Naruto coughed again. "Let me finish. I had let the other Villages take advantage of me and they trashed up Konoha. That scroll will take you back to a time before all this. Hopefully, you'll be able to correct all my mistakes...and prevent Konoha's destruction."

Shikamaru shook his head, ancient, buried tears slowly forcing their way to the surface.

"Shikamaru." Naruto continued. "This is my final request as your ex-Hokage. Go back in time and prevent this from ever happening. I don't want to die knowing Konoha will be in ruins forever. Its former glory…all gone." Naruto smiled warmly as he weakly patted Shikamaru's hand one last time. "I know you can do it, dear friend..." With that, the Hokage breathed one last time as the light from his eyes faded and he sank back onto the ground, never to move again.

Completely stunned, it took a few moments for the Rokudaime's death to dawn upon him. And with that and all the deaths before, the hard-trained ANBU finally snapped. Letting out a chilling cry full of anger and sorrow, Shikamaru broke out in a loud sob, burying his face in Naruto's robes.

So many people had died. His friends, his family, his sensei… but until now, he took the deaths the way an ANBU did every time: Silent and accepting. One by one, the people around him passed away from his life. And he'd been the last…the cursed last. He'd be willing die in the place of his Hokage. After all, he'd serve Naruto for many years; the jinchuuriki had been a strong and wise Hokage, forever encouraging others and guiding Konoha through its tough times. But it was his good heart that lead to his failure. Shikamaru gripped the Hokage's clothes tightly. _I should have died instead of you, Hokage-sama..._

Standing up, he briefly took off his ANBU mask, wiping his tears away. Then Shikamaru bowed respectfully before the body of the Rokudaime. "I won't let you die this way, Hokage-sama...I promise…"

The ANBU stood silent for a long moment, wishing Naruto a good trip to the after-life. Then he unfurled the Time Travel scroll, glancing down on the foreign writings as he formed a single handsign.

"_Goodbye, Naruto-sama." _He let his gaze linger on Naruto a bit longer before speaking one word. "_Kai."_

The surroundings around him began to fade away, and Shikamaru felt a sense of nostalgia as everything whirled before him. He found himself stumbling about in a dizzy manner as images began to become clearer. A forest materialized into view along with several dozen young kids, all chattering excitedly around him.

"An ANBU?" A feminine voice asked besides him.

Shikamaru stepped back in shock as he studied the person before him. _Anko Mitarashi?_

"So what's your report? Make it quick! I'm busy right now!" she barked.

Shikamaru stared at Anko. "Oh…um, sorry about this. I came in the wrong way." He held up a hand sign and teleported away from the scene to a treetop. He studied the people before him; it all seemed so familiar to him. His eyes widened as he realized where he suddenly was.

_The forest of death? _He thought to himself. _It's…it's the Chunin exams! _From within the crowd, his trained ANBU eyes picked out Neji, Hinata, Shino…all of his friends and teams. He pushed away the painful memories of each of their deaths and continued to search below. He saw his own team standing a couple of feet below him. _I see Chouji, Ino…What the…it's ME. _Shikamaru exhaled heavily. _Now this creates major problems. How would people react if they see TWO Shikamarus running all over the place? What if someone catches me?_

"All right!" Anko's loud voice interrupted Shikamaru from his thoughts. "Everyone's set…get ready, and GO!" The gates to the Forest of the Death opened and the genin Teams disappeared inside.

Shikamaru sighed out loud. He wasn't quite sure what to do now. He had landed in a time era far off from Naruto's time. Surveying Konoha was probably the best thing to do. It'd been at least two years since Shikamaru saw the village in such a relaxed state. When the War started with the other Villages, Konoha's economy was fully dedicated to the war and many people either became a ninja or moved away. But his heart was running again, and there was only one to calm his mental state...

Utilizing his Shadow jutsu, Shikamaru disappeared into the ground and became one with his shadow. This was his more cautious way of traveling: jumping from shadow to shadow undetected. He didn't stop until he reached a familiar site. Emerging from his shadow, Shikamaru was almost relieved to see the memorial stone standing there. He ran his hand over it, letting his eyes sweep over the many names carved on there. Also many people passed out of his life, their memories remained as names were engraved on the stone - and it here that Shikamaru allowed his mind to wander, his habit being to stop by it daily to briefly breathe a word or two to his sensei, Chouji, or even Kakashi.

And so engrossed was the ANBU in his thoughts that he failed to notice several individuals approach him from behind. Before he knew it, two ANBUs had pinned him against the memorial stone, the edges of their kunai on Shikamaru's neck. He dimly felt a chakra seal being slammed into his side.

"Hold him tight – don't let him escape!" The ANBU's captain emerged from behind them.

At that order, Shikamaru's eyes widened. The voice was so similar…and that mask! It was the one he was wearing now; the ANBU mask Shikaku handed him before he died. He could see his father's eyes narrow behind his ANBU mask.

"You can use Shadow jutsu as fluently as I. And that mask…who are you?" Shikaku drew his kunai.

ANBU Deer stared at ANBU Deer. Shikamaru remained silent, afraid his voice was going to give him away. _You fool, _he said to himself. _They already caught you._

"Take off his mask," Shikaku ordered.

_No – not the mask! I can't be seen! _Shikamaru struggled to release himself from the ANBUs grip, but the chakra seal prevented him from doing anything.

A moment later, he felt his mask being forcefully torn off.

* * *

**Very much revised, and I feel a bit better. Any typos mentioned would be greatly appreciated. I do plan on, once again, working hard on this story. Again, I apologize for the long hiatus and I will compensate for it as best I can. Revision should come tomorrow since it is already very late here. I also will need to revise Chapter 3 as I have something completely written out for it...**

**~Tenzo**


	2. One Self

**I neglected to revise this chapter as it felt rather unnecessary to do so. It's rather straightforward, but if there are any complaints, then I might fix it a bit.**

* * *

"What the..." Shikamaru and his father stared at one another, dark eyes meeting dark eyes. "Who the hell are you?" Shikaku demanded.

Shikamaru swallowed hard, holding back the emotions that were threatening to welt out of him. _Father...there's so much I had wanted to tell you before you died..._ Instead, the ANBU pushed away his feelings, and narrowed his eyes at his father. "Even if I told you, you wouldn't believe me."

Shikaku's hand shot out to grasp Shikamaru around his throat. "Your name - I want it now." His voice sounded dangerously quiet.

Shikamaru managed to choke out a laugh despite Shikaku's tight hold around his neck. "Always cutting straight to the point, don't you, Shikaku?"

His father's eyes widened and he released Shikamaru, shoving him against the memorial stone. "Secure him tightly," he ordered. "And take him to the Hokage."

The ANBU looked at their captain in surprise. "But, Deer-taichou," one said. "Wouldn't Ibiki be-"

"Shut up! Take him to the Hokage now!" Shikaku barked.

The ANBU scrambled to obey their captain's order; they had never seen Deer this unsettled.

"And tell him it's an emergency," Shikaku continued. "Hurry back quickly."

Shikamaru felt two strong hands force him into a kneeling position. Then the surroundings him whisked away and he found himself in a familiar-looking office. He was shoved into the ground, hands tied behind his back and his head facing downwards.

"What is it?" A gruff voice suddenly asked.

The ANBU besides Shikamaru bowed. "Sorry about the intrusion, Hokage-sama, but Deer said it was an emergency."

"Emergency?"

Shikamaru forced himself to look up at the speaker. His eyes went wide as the color drained out of his face. "Sandiame..."

Hiruzen frowned at Shikamaru's reaction. "And what exactly does Deer want me to do with him?"

"Deer wants to report that this intruder was caught on the outskirts of Konoha. He can use Shadow jutsu as well as Deer and even knew his real name. I guess Deer wants you to interrogate him."

"Without Ibiki's permission?" The Third Hokage grumbled. "Alright. Thank you for the information. You may leave now." He waved the ANBU out.

Shikamaru watched the Sandiame warily as Hiruzen raised himself from his desk. "Alright then...I don't know why Deer didn't send you to Ibiki first...but, I'll start with a few simple questions. Answer them truthfully and I won't have to call in a torturer," the Hokage said.

Shikamaru nodded in response.

"I need your name, who you work for, and where you came from."

Shikamaru bit his lip. How much could he reveal to the Hokage? "Hokage-sama," he began slowly. "My name is Shikamaru Nara. I work for the Rokudaime and I come from Konoha."

"Shikamaru…Nara?" The Sandiame ran the name through his head. "You're…Shikaku's son?"

"Correct."

"And…did you say Rokudaime?"

"I did."

"May I ask who that is?"

"Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki," Shikamaru said cautiously.

Hiruzen drew in a surprised breath. "Na-Naruto…?"

"Yes, the holder of the Kyuubi," Shikamaru confirmed.

Hiruzen frowned again. "And Konoha…what year?"

"2026, Hokage-sama."

At this, the Sandiame's eyes widened. "2026…? That's sixteen years into the future!" He began pacing around his office, deep in thought. "So he ended up using it…?"

"Excuse me, Hokage-sama?"

"One last question." Hiruzen returned to his desk. "How old are you?"

"Twenty-eight years old, Hokage-sama."

The Third Hokage sighed heavily. "Twenty-eight years old, eh? You sure stirred up a lot of commotion, Shikamaru."

"I understand. But I can't be seen; there are currently two of me running around Konoha."

"That proves to be a major problem. And you used the Hokage's Scroll to get here?"

"I did. The Rokudaime gave it to me personally."

The Sandiame rubbed his head tiredly. He still had a huge stack of papers to finish signing before he could go home; he really didn't want to deal with another problem. What was he to do with the boy? By time traveling, he had already broken the rules of time and dimension…and they were both dangerous things to mess around with.

"Please, Hokage-sama, would you grant me the privilege of exploring and staying in Konoha so that I may fulfill my task?"

"What task?"

"Carrying out the Rokudaime's orders…and…" Shikamaru trailed off. His memories of this time were beginning to come back slowly. If he was here, maybe he'd be able to prevent some horrible things from happening…such as Sasuke's betrayal of Konoha.

"You may not, Shikamaru," Hiruzen said firmly. "Not in your current state. Altering history is a dangerous thing. By coming here, you have already disturbed the regular flow of time."

"Wha-what do you mean?"

"What mean is, if you were to get involved in any political or major happenings, you would bring utter destruction to Konoha with your knowledge."

"Hokage-sama-!"

"Utter destruction, Shikamaru," the Sandiame repeated. "I'm pretty sure you know what I'm talking about."

"I promised the Roku-"

"No is no! I'm the Hokage in this era, and as ANBU, you must obey those higher in authority. I'm sorry, Shikamaru. There's nothing you can do now, and you know it."

Shikamaru scowled and curled his hand into a fist. It was unlike him to lose cool so fast, but it _was _Naruto's last wish, and he had to fulfill it no matter what. But the Hokage was right – it would still be several years before Naruto became Hokage. The scroll took him to a time much earlier than that and he could do nothing now but wait.

"Shikamaru, I will allow you to work as an ANBU under me for now." The Third Hokage handed Shikamaru an ANBU mask. "You will be replacing Kakashi Hatake as Wolf from now on. Do not ever reveal your true identity to anyone else and do not use any Shadow jutsus."

"Kakashi…?" Shikamaru's hand shook as he stared at Kakashi's old ANBU mask in his hands.

"You will be an ANBU under Cat," the Hokage continued. "I'm not doing this to harm you, Shikamaru. You know you can't do anything right now…"

Shikamaru barely heard the Hokage's words as he continued to stare transfixed at Kakashi's mask. "Kakashi-sensei…" Images of how Naruto sobbed into the night after Kakashi was killed flashed back into the Nara's mind. Naruto had been both physically and mentally depressed for over a month…

"Wolf!" Hiruzen's voice startled him out of his thoughts. "Snap out of it. This is Cat. You will be addressing him as captain from now on."

"Understood, Cat-dai-" Shikamaru looked up and froze. _That's…Tenzo! _His death and Kakashi's death had been closely linked together. They both had died protecting Naruto-sama, and the Rokudaime had been devastated.

"Anything wrong, Wolf?" Cat's voice held a hint of concern.

"No, it's nothing." Shikamaru stood up slowly. All the memories of his friends' death were beginning to haunt him again. His heart suddenly felt like it was being weighed down by a million burdens.

"And WOLF!" Shikamaru barely glanced back at the Sandiame. "I'll be watching you. Don't do anything out of hand."

"Understood."

As the Nara followed Cat outside, he considered his options. He came here to help Konoha out; now he was caught by the ANBU and now had to directly under the Sandiame himself. Dangit…there had to be something he could do!

"Wolf, eh? So you're replacing Kakashi-senpai?" Cat said cheerfully, patting Shikamaru on the back.

Shikamaru stiffened at Tenzo's touch. Blood flashed before his eyes as he remember how the ANBU had died.

"Wolf! Hey, Wolf!"

Shikamaru had buried his face in his hands without realizing it. He leaned against the wall, forcing himself to take deep breaths, and unable to control the shaking in his body.

"Would you like to rest?" Cat suggested. The new ANBU seemed so fragile and disturbed; he had hoped he was good enough to replace Kakashi.

"No, no, I'm fine." What else could Shikamaru say?

"I hope so. I'd like to have a small spar with you, just to know the full extent of your skills." Tenzo brought Shikamaru outside the Hokage building to a grassy field. He stepped several yards away from the new ANBU and formed a hand sign. "Now, let's begin."

Without warning, dozens of wooden branches erupted out of the ground and towards Shikamaru. He quickly pushed away his haunting memories and formed his familiar hand sign.

_"…and do not use any Shadow jutsu!" _The Third Hokage's words suddenly came rushing back to Shikamaru. He cursed and pulled out a kunai instead, dashing towards Tenzo through the masses of wood and slashing any that got in his way.

Cat frowned. He thought he had recognized Wolf's hand sign as Nara Clan's Shadow Jutsu. What had Wolf done instead? He parried Wolf's attack with a kunai of his own and forced Wolf back to long distance with another round of his wood.

Shikamaru was forced to retreat as Tenzo released another round of his wood. He had the advantage to this; he knew most of Tenzo's fighting style from all those times working with him, but how much could he reveal? And the only weapons he could use were basic ninja tools.

He slashed a branch of wood away from him and pulled out an explosive kunai from his back pouch. _This is Tenzo's second way of fighting. He plans to surround me with his wood, force me on defensive, then finish me with the wood he had set up in a circular area around me. _He tossed the kunai onto the branches beside him, and parried a few more coming towards him. Shikamaru then drew a second explosive kunai, tossing it to the branches on his left.

The instant Tenzo raised his hand to command all the branches to come together, Shikamaru tossed one last kunai in front of him. "_Katsu!_" The Nara launched himself into the air just as the wood exploded all around him, burning to pieces.

"Alright, we're done sparring this round," Cat called. He frowned to himself as he lowered his hand. _He knew...my strategy? Only the people I've worked with know this tactic of mine! _"Apparently, I was offensive, and you were defensive. Let's switch the roles this time." The ANBU Captain was now more curious than ever as to who Wolf exactly was.

"Um, Cat-taichou...I don't really have any offensive techniques." Shikamaru rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "I only have my ninja tools."

"What? No jutsus?"

"The only jutsus I can use is _Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Jutsu), Bunshin no jutsu (Clone Jutsu), _and_ Kawarimi no jutsu (Subsitution jutsu)_," Shikamaru said. "Excluding some basics from Academy."

"You're...kidding. Then how did you pass your jonin and genin tests?"

"I used my brain." That was half-true. With a bit of thinking and his basic Shadow jutsus, Shikamaru had defeated Temari in his Chunin exam sixteen years ago. In his jonin test, he had defeated all his opponents using similar tactics. Take away his Shadow techniques, and Shikamaru would barely be disabled. He still had his familiar ninja tools.

Cat exhaled heavily. "Listen up, Wolf. Our job tomorrow is to guard the Chunin area. Arrive early at 7 A.M. and report to your post. You have been assigned to guard the entrance to the main battle arena."

"I understand."

"And-" Cat pulled out a set of keys. "The Hokage wishes for you to stay in the apartment two blocks from his house. He's already ordered a room to be set up for you."

Shikamaru nodded his thanks as Tenzo handed him the apartment keys.

"Don't be late, Wolf!" Tenzo called as he walked away.

* * *

Shikamaru was the only ANBU at his post at 6:30 in the morning. He leaned against the walls of the great structure, glancing warily into the battle arena. The Nara sighed heavily as he drew out a polished kunai and stared at it.

It had been a personal gift from the Rokudaime when he had graduated to ANBU. The kunai was made from an expensive metal and Naruto had carved his personal signature into it. With this one weapon, he had blocked hundreds of attacks, protected thousands of people...and killed...countless amounts of people. It had never failed him nor rusted.

Shikamaru drew out a cloth from his back pocket and began polishing the kunai. He was so intrigued in the task he didn't notice someone sneak up behind him.

"Hello, Wolf!"

Shikamaru gasped and nearly dropped the kunai. He quickly stuffed away the kunai and turned around to find Cat staring at him.

"Startled you a bit, didn't I? Sorry bout that, you seemed to be really into your job. Glad to see you arrived early for the job." Tenzo glanced around the arena. "The people are beginning to come in already. I'll be at my post on the roof of the building. If you need anything, feel free to come up and ask." Cat disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Shikamaru exhaled heavily and leaned back against the wall. He scolded himself for getting careless.

As the Chunin exams began, he settled into a comfortable position behind the pole of the main entrance. Unlike how he acted sixteen years ago, Shikamaru watched each fight with great passion. It took all of his effort not to call out each of his old friend's name as they battled each other on the arena.

Naruto finished off Neji with a great move. His younger self gave up halfway through the fight. Shikamaru smiled under his ANBU mask at how lazy he was all those years ago. Sure, he still watched clouds every now and then and said "Troublesome" a lot, but his job was had been protect the Hokage, and he needed all his attention and effort to fulfill that job.

"Hey, Shikamaru!" The ANBU jerked out of his thoughts in surprise as his young self and Naruto walked past him. "Why'd you give up man? You could have beaten her."

"Naw. I was running out of chakra. Besides, I never really wanted to be in the Chunin exams. It just makes my life more troublesome." Shikamaru trailed the two unnoticed as they walked down the alley to the stairs.

A sudden feeling of bloodlust overcame him. A few feet ahead of him, Naruto and his younger self had also stopped walking. Moments later, Gaara walked into the alley, his sand leaking out all around him.

"Kill...I must kill!" Shikamaru caught the words being muttered from the jinchuriki's mouth. "KILLL!"

Without warning, the sand gathered in the air and soared at Naruto and his younger self. Shikamaru threw himself forwards, pushing Naruto off to the side and bear hugging his younger self. He crashed onto the ground painfully, the sand seemingly brightening around him.

Shikamaru shut his eyes as white light overwhelmed his vision. He didn't open them until someone began shaking him violently.

"Hey, Shikamaru. You alright?"

Was he alright? He hoped his younger self was. He had probably failed in his ANBU duty.

"Hey, SHIKAMARU!" He was thrown against the wall violently. As he coughed and opened his eyes, he noticed Naruto staring at him. "Luckily, that sand guy passed us without anymore attacks. You okay?"

"Me-me?" Shikamaru blinked in confusion at Naruto. Why was he calling HIM Shikamaru? He was an ANBU...

Wait. Where was his younger self? "Where's Shikamaru?"

"You silly! Should I take you to a doctor or something?" Naruto helped Shikamaru to his feet. It was then the ANBU realized that HE was Shikamaru. He was his younger self...

"No, no, sorry. I'm fine." Shikamaru stared down at himself, a bit stunned. _Perhaps, when I made contact with my younger self, this is what happened. But what about Tenzo? Now I'm missing from my job...  
_

"I'm going back up to see the rest of the exams." Naruto dragged the Nara up the stairs. "Sasuke's going to fight so I gotta see it."

Sasuke? Shikamaru frowned. Now that he was in this body...it made things easier for him.

Maybe he could prevent Sasuke's betrayal to Leaf. And prevent Asuma's death by Hidan.

Maybe...

And he still didn't what had happened.

Man, this was all troublesome.


	3. A Lost Life

**It is greatly revised.**

* * *

As Shikamaru settled next to Naruto in the Chunin Exams, he caught glimpse of Temari. The Sand kuniochi shot him a nasty glare. Shikamaru rolled his eyes in response as he looked away.

He couldn't count how many times he had already seen that look - in the morning over breakfast, and coming home after work. After all, Temari was his dear wife and together, they were to raise a normal family, live a normal life...

At the thought of his would-be future, Shikamaru felt a wrenching feeling in his fut. The Nara buried his face in his hands, suddenly wishing to retch in front of him. Temari had been six months into pregnancy - they were to have a perfect baby girl. Shikamaru had promised to name the baby that day, when he got back from his mission. Little had he known that the Lightning Village planned to invade that day. Upon coming back to his small apartment, Shikamaru had been devastated to see the dead body of his wife...harshly mutilated, and...

"Hey, Shikamaru, you alright?" Chouji was looking down at him with concern, his hand paused over a large bag of chips.

Shikamaru shook his head, trying to clear the images of blood from his eyes. "Excuse me," he said softly. Hiding his teary face in shame, Shikamaru dashed down the stairs, suddenly desperate for some fresh air. He was well aware of his mental state - and he deserved it after all.

As a trained ninja, he had always forced his emotions down. He couldn't help ANBU if he was emotionally unstable all the time; more importantly, how could the Hokage have depended on him then? But slowly, like water against a wall, his hidden emotions had built up over the years.

With Naruto's death, it came out all at once. He knew he was unstable right now; he saw it in Tenzo's eyes when the ANBU captain first observed him earlier. His constant shocks at seeing supposedly-dead people never ceased. In fact, it made him all the more vulnerable, and exhausted.

He leaned against the cold, stone wall, shaking with shallow breaths, struggling to grasp that ANBU mentality that was completely unfamiliar to him now.

"Hey, Shik, you alright?" That same old, gruff voice greeted him - one that Shikamaru had not heard in decades. He turned, expecting, to face Asuma, his long, dead sensei.

Forcing out a weak chuckle, Shikamaru nodded his response. "Sorry, sensei, just a bit unnerved."

Asuma laughed whole-heartedly, pounding Shikamaru's back. "You look like you've seen a dozen ghosts. Lighten up, kid. You did great on your test today!"

"Of...of course." Shikamaru managed to smile, and allowed his sensei to steer him back towards the arena. And just as he took one step, a sudden explosion shook the place.

Asuma froze. "What was that?" he began.

But Shikamaru was already alert, his twenty-eight year old ANBU mind snapping into action. He reached towards the spot where his favorite kunai was, but almost slapped himself when he remembered he had left it back in the tunnel. How he could forget that one, precious item that Naruto had left him?

"Hey, Shikamaru, where are you going? HEY!" Asuma's calls followed the Nara into the arena, but Shikamaru ignored them. _The kunai is more important._

Checking around to make sure no one was watching, Shikamaru grabbed one side of the arena, then began dashing up with practiced reflexes. But his young body was not trained, and he quickly tired. He forced himself to take a short break as he took the stairs the rest of the way.

Upon arriving back at the tunnel, he was stunned to find it completely empty. His kunai was gone. And for once, in many years, he began to panic. _Think logically now, Shikamaru. _He forced himself to take deep breaths, slow...and easy. _Where was the last time you saw it? _It could have been possible that the weapon was lost with his entire ANBU attire when he had contacted with his younger body...but no, he had seen the kunai fall away from his body, and come to a rest at the side of the tunnel. And so shocked was he at the fusion of bodies that he had completely forgotten about the weapon.

Shikamaru contemplated on staying longer, but upon catching a glimpse of a half-mad young Gaara and several huge snakes, he thought better. Reaching inside his Nara vest for a children's kunai, Shikamaru dashed out the tunnel, one thing in his mind: To prevent the Third Hokage's death.

* * *

Tenzo found it odd that Wolf had not reported in quite some time. He decided to check up the new ANBU - after all, Wolf seemed rather fragile yesterday, or at least, mentally unstable. It wouldn't be good if something had happened.

He arrived at the tunnel to find it completely empty. There was sand scattered in various areas, but no one was in sight. There were a few faint chakra signatures - he detected Naruto's, the young Nara's, and the Sand's jinchuuriki, but no Wolf at all.

Tenzo sighed heavily as he began clearing away the sand, starting ANBU procedures on investigation. How was he to report this to the Hokage?

But as he bent to brush away aother pile of sand, a light glimmer caught his eye. Carefully picking up a half-buried item with his ANBU gloves, Tenzo wiped off the dirt and examined it closely. It was a brightly-polished kunai; it looked to be crafted of the finest material- why, it could have been the Hokage's himself. It was perfectly balanced, perfectly crafted, and perfectly steady.

With a sudden realization, Tenzo recalled seeing this exact same kunai in Wolf's hand earlier. The ANBU had been polishing this weapon with an almost motherly love.

The ANBU flipped over the kunai, examining it on the other side. Upon closer inspection, he noticed a tiny signature on the bottom left corner of the kunai. "Naruto...Uzumaki?" Tenzo read it, a trace of puzzlement in his voice. _Wasn't that the Jinchuuriki? Why would he sign such an expensive weapon?_

He decided to go to the Third Hokage for answers. Stuffing the Kunai away, Tenzo ran out.

* * *

Roof climbing used to be so easy for Shikamaru, but now, it was turning into a major drag. He measured the angle for the next building, and jumped with all his might, nearly breaking an ankle as he landed awkwardly on a tile. The Nara could see the Third Hokage and Orochimaru already - they were several roofs ahead. While the snake bastard sent his summons to wreak havoc on the village, he was busy trying to kill the Hokage. What was the reason for it, Shikamaru couldn't seem to remember it now.

He posed for another jump, but was suddenly grabbed roughly from behind. "A little genin kid, is it?" he heard a mocking voice say. He turned around to face three ninjas, all dressed in similar attire to Orochimaru. Shikamaru quickly concluded that they must have been the Snake's henchmen.

The only female in the group laughed loudly. "Shall we PLAY with him?"

The male next to him crossed his arms. "We can't afford to waste time, Tayuya. Finish him off quick."

The girl smiled deviously at Shikamaru as she took out an interesting looking instrument. Just as she put it to her mouth to play, Shikamaru reached inside his vest with his free hand, quickly dragging out a flash bomb and activating it. He felt the grip on him loosen as his capturer recoiled from the brightness, and he struggled out of his grasp, landing on the ground as he struggled to get away.

But he didn't get far before he was picked up again, this time by a dark-skinned male he didn't see before. "Don't think you're getting away," he cautioned.

Shikamaru cursed himself for being careless as the Sound ninja raised one of his four arms to impale him. But before the arm came down, the ninja suddenly yelped, letting go of Shikamaru as several dozen pillars of wood impaled the place he was several seconds before.

The Nara hit the ground hard, and he felt the wind being knocked out of him as a familiar ANBU landed next to him. Shikamaru groaned in despair, all motivation gone. Here he was, stuck in a weak body, his trained reflexes completely useless. Not to mention, he had been saved by someone. He couldn't remember the last time he was so careless, and it pained him to know that he had let his emotions take control of him. _Naruto-sama would have been disappointed..._

"The little brat was saved." The Sound Four laughed as Shikamaru heard them retreating onto the next roof. "We've fooled around long enough. Let's get to work."

Shikamaru felt Tenzo bend down next to him as the ANBU went over usual procedures, checking his body for any injuries. Upon finding none, Tenzo stood, and the Nara heard him sigh heavily. "You're a crazy kid, you know. I don't see your father doing this." Tenzo offered a hand, but Shikamaru ignored it. "Why were you up here anyways?"

Shikamaru cast a weary eye at the roof ahead. It was already too late. The Sound Four had cast the barrier, and there was no way to save the Hokage now. It had been a long day, and Shikamaru had never felt more miserable. Burying his face into the roof, he started sobbing once more as Tenzo picked him off the ground, carrying him off to a safer place.

* * *

**I'm kind of liking where this is going. *starts reviewing Naruto***

**I will try to make the chapters longer. Expect another one tomorrow or the day after!**

**~Tenzo**


	4. Precious Treasure

**Sillvog: Ah, you are correct. I definitely did not touch upon that on the last chapter. I will definitely be updating more.**

**This came out sooner than I thought it would, thus, I will completely proofread it tomorrow and correct any mistakes. It is late once again.**

* * *

Soft murmurs and closing doors was all Shikamaru could gather of the next several days. His tired mind drifted in and out of consciousness, and every time he closed his eyes, the memories came back to haunt him once more. He wished that he would never have to wake, to sit up once more and face the cruel world, but the land of dreams were as worse as the land of living, and oh, the blood…

His ANBU mind denied the fact, but the Nara had begun to fear blood. Any red liquid, substantial enough to even look like blood made his heart beat twenty times faster, and his head would spin as the dam torturous memories come back again, and again…

When Shikamaru finally came out of his feverish state, the first person he saw was his own dear mother. He almost choked up right there and then on his childhood bed, but managed to hold onto his fragile mentality.

Yoshino Nara sighed in concern as she dabbed cold water on her son's forehead carefully. Shikamaru had been in coma for several days already – the doctors could only explain it as fatigue and chakra overuse, but the Shikamaru she knew better wouldn't allow himself to fall into such a sickened state.

Shikamaru's eyes fluttered open as he weakly took in his surroundings. "Mother?" he questioned, the puzzlement in his voice only deepening the worry in Yoshino's heart.

"I'm here, son," Yoshina whispered as she switched the towel with a fresh one. "How are you feeling?"

Shikamaru struggled to form logical words as several different expressions flashed across his face. "Weak…and tired..." He closed his eyes once more.

"Tired of what, Shikamaru?" Yoshino frowned. She didn't keep a very clear schedule of her son's actions, but she trusted him to be responsible for himself. And it seemed to be going successfully – up until now.

"Tired…tired of everything."

Yoshino opened her mouth to respond, but was interrupted as the door opened as her husband entered, along with a masked ANBU.

"Finally found the time off to come back and check in on our son." Shikaku bent down by Shikamaru's bed, gazing down at him. "How is he?"

"You're in time. He just regained consciousness." Yoshino began wiping the towel on Shikamaru's face once more, in an effort to wake him up.

"Hey, Shikamaru," Shikaku said softly. "You alright now?"

There was no response for awhile, then Shikamaru groaned, turning over in his bed, unwilling to face his father.

"He said he was tired," Yoshino said. "Tired of everything."

Shikaku's eyebrows rose. "Lazy as usual, are we not, Shikamaru?"

There was no response as Shikamaru remained motionless. He hated himself for tiring so easily, for being the weak person he was now. And the promise he had made to the Rokudaime seemed so burdensome – but it hung over his broken heart, a constant reminder of his failures.

Shikaku stood up from besides the bed, and Shikamaru heard him digging around for something. "You know, you passed the Chunin Exam. In fact, you were the only one to pass. The Third Hokage would have personally congratulated you, but…he was killed."

At this, Shikamaru buried his face deeper into his pillow. _You were weak, _a voice mocked him. _You could have saved him…_

"What I really want to know though," Shikaku continued. "Was what you were doing so close to the Hokage. And on the roof too! You almost got killed!"

Shikamaru remained silent.

There was a deep sigh as Shikaku shook his head in frustration. "I don't remember you being as reckless, son. If you're not willing to respond, then at least you could thank the man that saved you."

"Thank you," Shikamaru gurgled from beneath the bed covers.

"That's rude," Yoshino snapped. "Sit up and thank him properly. Good lord, he saved your LIFE."

"No, no, it's alright." Shikamaru heard Tenzo's unmistakable voice. "He's still tired - let him be."

But mustering whatever little strength he had left, Shikamaru managed to sit up, looking up with tired eyes at the masked ANBU. "Thank you," he said, more sincerely this time.

Tenzo nodded awkwardly – after all, he saved dozens of people's lives a day, maybe even a hundred. "Just doing an ANBU's job."

"You can go back to rest now," Yoshino said, patting Shikamaru's shoulder. But theNarawas already focused on something else. Strapped onto Tenzo's weapon belt was his kunai – his precious, treasured kunai!

Shikamaru almost grabbed it right then and there, but controlled himself. He would manage to get it back somehow – after all, he highly doubt Tenzo planned to keep it.

Leaning back on bed, he tried coming up with plans to retrieve the kunai, but his own body soon betrayed him, and he was soon slunk into a deep sleep.

* * *

"I don't know how much I owe you for saving my son's life," Shikaku said as they walked out of his son's room. He closed the door slowly behind him as Shikamaru began to snore softly.

"It's nothing," Tenzo said automatically, his mind somewhere else. Although Shikamaru's parents might not bother with pursuing their son's intentions further, the ANBU was almost sure that Shikamaru was hiding something. He had caught theNarakid looking at the weird kunai he had picked up earlier with something of recognition, and longing. It was almost if the weapon belonged to Shikamaru himself.

Not to mention the eyes – Tenzo remembered Shikamaru's mental state when he had rescued him three days ago. Behind the desperation in theNara's dark eyes, there had been something darker – something that no young child should have.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Yamato." Shikaku walked him out his house.

"Of course, Taichou." Tenzo bowed once and set on a quick route home. But he quickly stopped as something suddenly popped into his mind. The kunai he had picked up was the only thing that connected him to the brief ANBU ninja, Wolf. And with Wolf gone, and the only person that knew of his existence dead, Tenzo was stuck with a puzzling case.

Normally, he would have dismissed the case, but too many weird things were happening lately, and a gnawing feeling inside him prevented him from forgetting the entire thing. Resuming his walk, Tenzo decided he would get to the bottom of this.

* * *

There was nothing to do the next day, so Shikamaru walked the familiar path to Chouji's house. But as he knocked the door, once, twice, he quickly discovered there was no one at home.

The Nara decided to check the hospital – he remembered Chouji's arm still wrapped up from the Chunin exams. Perhaps, the Akimichi had simply gone to the hospital for a check-up.

KonohaHospitalwas bustling with activity as Shikamaru arrived a short ten minutes later. He got into line to ask where Chouji might be, but just as he reached the front of the queue, the elevator opened and the Akimichi walked out along with Naruto. Chouji seemed exuberant as ever, stuffing his face with chips, but Naruto – Naruto looked dejected as he awkwardly handled his crutches.

"Hoka-" Shikamaru started to say at Naruto's presence, but instantly corrected himself by calling Chouji instead. Luckily, Naruto didn't catch the slip.

"Oi, Shikamaru!" Chouji brightened almost instantly. "It's great to see you! How have you been?"

Shikamaru attempted to smile, the act almost impossible to him after years of hiding behind a stoic mask. "I'm feeling fine, Chouji."

"That's good to hear! Naruto here is feeling fine too, right, Naruto?"

The jinchuuriki mumbled something incoherent and waved Chouji away. Shikamaru frowned at the action. What had happened at this time that had made his Hokage so depressed?

Then theNararemembered. It had been Sasuke – the cold-blooded Uchiha that had led the attacks against Konoha. Together with Madara, they brought a wave of destruction on the village. He couldn't even begin to gather why Naruto would want to save the Uchiha – Sasuke had betrayed him to the very end, and yet, Naruto held onto that fragile hope…

They reached the end of the hospital, and Shikamaru began walking with Chouji the other way until Naruto stopped dejectedly in the middle of the road.

"He's gone," Naruto murmured to himself. "He's…gone…"

Shikamaru sighed deeply. Although Naruto was still only a kid now, it was his duty to protect his Hokage for life, past or future.

He motioned for Chouji to walk home by himself, and the Akimichi happily complied, turning the other way with his snacks.

Shikamaru gently patted Naruto's shoulder, the way he had done so many times in the past whenever the Hokage had been depressed. "Let's go home, Naruto," he said softly.

He slung his shoulder over Naruto's and helped him walk – one step at a time. Naruto said nothing, simply accepting Shikamaru's friendship as he was guided home.

As they reached Naruto's apartment, Shikamaru was shocked to see the manner his Hokage had lived in. It was one of the crappiest complexes available in Konoha – the paint was peeling and there were cracks all over the roof.

When Shikamaru stepped in through the front door, he nearly tripped over a ramen bowl on the ground. Naruto rubbed his head sheepishly as he staggered over to his small bed in the corner. "Sorry, Shikamaru, I just never cleaned up…" he explained, setting down his crutches. "There's no need to do it for me…"

Shikamaru had automatically started picking up trash without realizing it – it had been routine when he had worked for Naruto as Hokage. Ramen cups, empty milk bottles – you name it, he made sure Naruto's office and room was tidy and sparkling clean before the Rokudaime went to work every day. "It's alright," theNaramumbled in reply. "I'm used to it."

Naruto looked curiously at Shikamaru. "You clean for your parents?"

"Well, no, I didn't mean…" Shikamaru sighed. "How are you feeling, Naruto?"

Naruto turned away. "It doesn't matter. I couldn't save Sasuke."

"Why…why do you want to save him?"

"I…I don't know. He was the first to acknowledge me as a living person, and even, my first friend, a bond…" Naruto continued, his eyes casted towards the ground. "I feel like…I owe him."

Shikamaru stared at the Jinchuuriki. Those were the exact words the Rokudaime had told him, even when Sasuke had murdered Kakashi in front of the both of them. Naruto kept on believing that there was something good, something better in the Uchiha, and for awhile, Shikamaru wished the same…but…

The door suddenly slammed open, breaking the tension in the atmosphere as a certain white-haired sage crashed in. "JIRAIYA TO THE RESCUE!" the toad sage roared as he tossed a huge box of ramen-to-go on the floor.

"Hello, Jiraiya-sensei." Naruto didn't even look up.

"Oh, Naruto. You're still not worried about Sasuke, are you?" Jiraiya slapped Naruto so hard on the back the jinchuuriki nearly keeled over.

Shikamaru started edging towards the door, trusting that he could leave the Hokage to Jiraiya. "I'll be leaving him to you, Jiraiya-sensei."

The sage looked slightly surprised at his knowledge of his name, but nodded in response.

Closing the door tightly behind him, Shikamaru slipped out into the afternoon daylight. He walked several steps back and lifted his gaze to survey Naruto's apartment complex. Part of his duty as Naruto's personal advisor was to guarantee his safety at all costs - and this meant knowing everything about his living quarters, from escape routes to possible building weaknesses which could lead to easy asssasination. But as his eyes wandered, he noticed that the apartments right next to Naruto's were where the ANBU Black OPs lived. A plan suddenly forming in his head, he began making his way towards the building.

The apartments were organized and tidy, unlike Naruto's apartment. There were ten rooms on each floor, and there were eight floors, making a grand total of eighty rooms. He studied the first few doors on the first floor, and at the markings that were posted on each one. Luckily for Shikamaru, being in ANBU had its benefits. He easily deciphered the ANBU language, translating the markings into names.

The Nara found Tenzo's room on the third floor. He leaned his head against the door for a few moments, sending tracking chakra through the cracks to check if anyone was in the room. It was empty.

Next, Shikamaru tried the window. It was slightly loose - perhaps from the years of usage, but it didn't matter. Either way, it made the task easier for him. Every lock had its own way of working and the Nara had had more than enough of a lifetime of experience with breaking into rooms. In a matter of time, Shikamaru had completely freed the window from its locks.

And slowly, deliberately, he lifted the window a crack, peering through it cautiously. He saw a desk full of papers, and an organized bed. But among the mass of paperwork, a single object caught his eye. His kunai!

Filled with joy at seeing his precious treasure, Shikamaru pushed the window just high enough for him to climb through. But just as he was about to put a foot into Tenzo's room, someone grabbed him from behind and pinned him against the wall.

"What do you think you're doing breaking into my apartment!"

* * *

**~Tenzo**


	5. Broken Men

**I'm slightly surprised people still give a flying **** about this story. Once again, I thank you all for the reviews - they mean a lot to me, and the driving source for my motivation. **

**terracannon876: Ah, and that's the thing. Shikamaru knows the future, and the point of going into the past is to correct all your mistakes...so what if someone else got their hands on what Shikamaru knew about...let's say, the Akatsuki? *insert evil laugh***

**Also, thank you, Linaewen110, for reviewing, and Sillvog, for also reviewing both chapters. It means A LOT.**

**On with the story. I kind of got caught up in it, so it's long. Cheers for all of us.**

* * *

Caught. Once again. Shikamaru swallowed nervously as he stared into the ANBU's Cat Mask.

He didn't understand. How was he, Master of Intelligence, personal adviser to the Hokage, acting so foolishly?

"I know what you want, Shikamaru," Tenzo continued. "But how you managed to find my living headquarters..." His eyes slowly traveled to the markings on his apartment door. "I can only assume that you know how to read the ANBU language, but even so, you shouldn't be able to..." Shikamaru felt the ANBU's grip on him tighten. "So...who are you exactly?"

It was such a simple question, yet Shikamaru found himself struggling to form a proper answer. "I...I am Shikamaru Nara..." Dam, why did he stutter?

Tenzo was silent, clearly waiting for more.

"I..." Shikamaru felt his focus slipping away as he stared at the all too-familiar Cat Mask. It was becoming something else - something hidden deep within his dark nightmares.

"I..." The wall behind Tenzo was shifting now - shifting into a completely different place. The Nara suddenly found himself shivering as cold rain seeped through his clothes.

_Stopping momentarily to wring the water out of his long hair once more, Shikamaru felt the burden over his heart increase in weight._

_This was it. This was everything in Hokage-sama's life - everything that Naruto believed in, everything that he lived for. Somehow, the Nara already knew the answer, but he still dreaded what was to come ahead._

_Sighing, he replaced his hood, momentarily contemplating if he should cut his hair after the mission. Hokage-sama had even called him "Pineapple head" for awhile, but to Shikamaru, the way he tied back his hair - he saw it as a symbol of the Nara clan, and a way to honor his long-dead father._

_"Shikamaru." He almost tensed as someone laid a soft hand on his shoulder. "You're lagging behind."_

_The Nara turned to stare into Kakashi's Wolf mask. Then he merely averted his gaze, nodding his head, and sped ahead of Kakashi into the trees._

_"I know it's hard to believe." A few seconds, and Kakashi had already caught up to him. "But we have to find out if the rumors were true - if Sasuke was truly behind it all. Remember, Village first."_

_"I realize that, Kakashi-sensei..." Shikamaru could see Hokage-sama and Tenzo ahead. He quickened his pace. "But it's not Sasuke I'm worrying about, I'm worried about..." _

_Kakashi understood. He said no more, merely motioning for Shikamaru to stop as the Hokage and Tenzo jumped down from the trees below. It appeared that they had finally found a resting spot to wait away the rain._

_Tenzo had already created a small cabin on the area, and was waving for Shikamaru and Kakashi to come in. _

_"What is with this weather?" Kakashi grumbled as soon as he stepped in. "The sun was so bright yesterday."_

_But Shikamaru thought differently. A dark feeling had began to hung over his heart - a feeling that the Nara was unable to shake off, no matter how hard he convinced himself everything was going to be fine. And that rain - that gloomy, tragic rain...it only foreshadowed what was to be ahead._

_Naruto stretched himself upon the wooden floor as he slipped off his temporary ANBU cloak to use as a blanket. "Ah, Yamato-taichou!" the Rokudaime exclaimed. "I know it's been so long, but your wooden creations remain as comfortable as ever."_

_Tenzo attempted to smile as he added a solid door to the complete the cabin. Shikamaru found himself staring at the man, and how he suddenly looked much more older than his thirty-eight years. "All for you, Hokage-sama," Tenzo replied smoothly. _

_"As humble as ever, oh wise one," Naruto immediately responded, a grin on his face. "What more do you have to offer?"_

_To this, no one responded, as the Hokage himself eventually fell quiet. Of the three, only Kakashi was more prone to humor, and occasionally, even Tenzo. But Shikamaru - Shikamaru held his Hokage's protection to the highest level. He didn't allow any jokes - especially ones that concerned Naruto-sama's safety, and the Hokage had even grown frustrated at times with his serious demeanor. But if not Shikamaru, than who would keep the Hokage on track?_

_Night eventually settled, and the sound of Naruto's snores filled the small cabin. Shikamaru, Kakashi, and Tenzo all leaned against one side of the cabin, silent, watching their Hokage sleep. Eventually, the Nara noticed the other two beginning to fall into fits of microsleep. "Kakashi-sensei, Yamato-taichou, please go sleep."_

_Kakashi immediately snapped out of his drowsy state. "You put way too much on your back, Shikamaru," he said disapprovingly. "YOU should sleep."_

_Shikamaru said nothing for a moment, merely glaring at Kakashi with hardened eyes. "Hokage-sama needs you in perfect shape, Sensei. I am used to little sleep."_

_Kakashi grimaced, as he tore his gaze away from the Nara's stoic look. "You need to lighten up. Just because you guide Naruto personally does not mean that you need to be so serious all the time."_

_"Kakashi-sensei." Shikamaru was getting irritated - he was quite short-tempered these days. "Because I let my father go investigate the Akatsuki without back-up, he got himself killed. Because I let Sakura so emotionally go after Sasuke, she is now missing, most likely dead. BECAUSE I SO FOOLISHLY LEFT MY WIFE ALONE TO GO ON A ROUTINE MISSION, SHE WAS SEXUALLY ASSAULTED, AND THEN MURDERED!" _

_It had become eerily silent in the cabin as Shikamaru suddenly realized he was shouting - self-conscious, he struggled to grasp back at his rational mind._

_The snoring had stopped. Shikamaru felt Naruto shifting on the floor, as two dark, blue eyes opened to gaze up at him. "It's not your fault, Shikamaru," the Rokudaime said softly. "None if it was."_

_Shikamaru felt his hands become fists as he turned to face the wall, refusing to say another word._

_Kakashi sighed heavily. He slowly slid down against the wall, getting into a comfortable position. "Let's sleep - Tenzo, Hokage-sama. I trust Shikamaru to watch our backs as we rest."_

_Tenzo mumbled his reply as he curled up in his own corner. Naruto was quiet now._

_That night, although not a word was said, no one slept. For Shikamaru, the morning came too slowly. The Nara spent the night staring outside the window at the inifinite darkness. His mind remained empty - he tried entertaining himself with petty memories from the past, but they were always replaced by darker ones._

_Shikamaru was glad when the first dim rays of sunlight began to shine through the cabin window. The rain had died down to a mere drizzle._

_Shikamaru walked to the door, trying to push it open, but found it was shut tight. Tenzo grumbled sleepily from the other side of the room. "Here, let me get that." A moment later, cracks appeared around the door, shaping it and breaking it free from the wall. Shikamaru cautiously pushed it open._

_The Nara glanced outside, sending his chakra out to track for any ambushing ninjas. There appeared to be no one in the vicinity. "Hokage-sama," he said cautiously. "We must move on."_

_"Don't worry, Shikamaru. Ready when you are." Shikamaru turned to find the Rokudaime already fully dressed. Kakashi and Tenzo were wide awake now as they too, motioned for Shikamaru to lead the way._

_No sooner had Shikamaru stepped out of the cabin did he realize he had made a huge mistake. He didn't know how he missed it - but there was a simple booby trap set right outside the door. As the line of thread was broken, several shuriken flew from either side of Shikamaru. Quickly drawing out his personal kunai, the Nara easily deflected it. __Behind him, he felt Tenzo and Kakashi tense. _

_"Who's out there?" Shikamaru demanded. "Show yourself!"_

_Nothing happened for a second or so, then a huge fireball blasted out of the trees, carving a way towards Tenzo's cabin. All four of them quickly leaped out of the way as fire collided with wood. The smell of BBQ filled the air as their temporary shelter burned to the ground._

_Shikamaru frowned. "Sasuke!" he called. "I thought we told you to come alone!"_

_"That was the agreement." The Uchiha emerged from the trees, clad in an Akatsuki cloak, several dozen ninjas behind him. "But surely, you couldn't have expected me to keep with it."_

_Shikamaru hissed in reply, his hands already together for the next jutsu. "And I'm assuming you came with our deaths on your mind."_

_"I'm doing you a favor, Shikamaru," Sasuke replied snottily. "You do realize that all the other villages want you dead - they want your Hokage DEAD." The Uchiha emphasized the last word, knowing it would infuriate the Nara. Shikamaru glared angrily at Sasuke._

_"Move aside, Shikamaru." Naruto sounded oddly calm. __Shikamaru seethed with fury as he allowed his Hokage took his place. _

_"We came to compromise, Sasuke," Naruto began. "You know how Konoha is now - perhaps if we joined together, we could..."_

_"Drop it." Sasuke's voice was cold. "You know what I did, yet you come at me with such hope. Those days are over, Naruto."_

_"Didn't Madara manipulate you?" Naruto sounded childish now - almost hopeful._

_"HE MANIPULATED ME?" Sasuke repeated the words, sounding incredulous. "The things you come up with - it amazes me still. No, Naruto. He didn't manipulate me." The Uchiha took a step forward, causing Shikamaru to draw his weapon, tense. _

_Sasuke continued to walk until he was almost directly face-to-face with Naruto. Sky blue stared into crimson red as Sasuke began to speak. "You're Hokage now, Naruto. Our past is gone. Dead. If you really want to know, Naruto. Yes, I did lead the attacks against your precious village." __There was a pause as Shikamaru noticed a unfamiliar desperate glint appear deep in Naruto's eyes._

_"**Yes**, I did come with the idea of invading Konoha because I knew you wouldn't stand against me. Yes, I also convinced the other Villages to fight against you because it would empower the Akatsuki."_

_"**And** **yes, **I killed your precious wife. Hinata, was her name? It was so unfortunate she was such an easy victim to a simple Genjutsu." Sasuke leaned in closer, the signs of a malicious smile on his face. "She thought you were dead, Naruto. And within a few moments of sobbing in pain for you, she let me kill her...nice and easy. Painfully. Just like...this." And Sasuke drew his sword, ready to slash a fatal wound upon the heart-broken Hokage._

_Kakashi immediately took action, dashing in front of Naruto and kicking the sword away as Shikamaru bear-hugged the Rokudaime, dragging him out of Sasuke's reach._

_"And what's this?" Sasuke sounded amused. "You brought bodyguards too, Naruto? I didn't know you were so weak that you, the Hokage, couldn't face me alone."_

_"Shut up, Sasuke." Kakashi sounded peeved - his voice held a dangerous edge that Shikamaru only heard when the white-haired man was about to kill someone. "You've done enough damage to our village."_

_"Kakashi?" Sasuke peered through the Wolf Mask. "Oh, it IS you, Sensei. What an interesting selection of people. All the more better."_

_"I'll put you down myself," Kakashi muttered, a sword suddenly appearing in his hand. "Shikamaru! You and Tenzo take the Hokage to safety! I'll take care of Sasuke personally!"_

_"Talking big words, now, aren't you? You do realize that your skills can no longer surprass my own." And Sasuke was in front of Kakashi one moment - then his sword was aimed at Naruto, intending to kill the Hokage with a clean blow through the heart. Luckily, Tenzo intercepted the attack, causing a pillar of wood to come up from the ground, forcing the Uchiha to retreat several steps._

_The ninja behind Sasuke advanced now, all focused on one target: Naruto Uzumaki, Hokage of Konoha Village._

_"We have to protect him!" Kakashi yelled as he successfully landed a chidori through an enemy ninja. "He's in too much shock to properly defend himself!"_

_"I realize that." Shikamaru pulled out one of Asuma's blades, adding his own Shadow chakra into it, tossing it successfully to pin down several ninjas as the explosives on the blade detonated, killing the ones in range._

_They were easily taking down the ninjas, and it made Shikamaru worry - what was the point of those ninjas then? But he had no time to think properly - Sasuke was directly in front of Naruto, and with Tenzo and Kakashi busy with the other ninjas...With a yell, Shikamaru drew his own specialized sword to counter the Uchiha's chidori-charged weapon. He successfully slashed away the attack, and rose his weapon swiftly - inserting it easily through the Uchiha's heart._

_But to his surprise, the Uchiha didn't falter. He only laughed as blood began to seep from the wound made by Shikamaru's weapon._

_"You're smart, Shikamaru," Sasuke commented, as he noticed the rubber-coated handle of Shikamaru's sword. "But the moment you looked into my eyes - you lost."_

_With a pang of horror, the Nara realized what he had done wrong. He had been so angry at Sasuke, that he had forgotten to direct his gaze from the Uchiha's face, even glaring directly into it. He felt a sharp pain burst from his back as Sasuke's face quickly faded away from view. But if he hadn't stabbed Sasuke, then...?_

_He saw Tenzo instead, struggling to breathe as his two hands came to rest desperately on Shikamaru's sword. Behind him, he saw he wasn't protecting Naruto, but an enemy ninja, and Kakashi had killed the ninja before Shikamaru was further wounded. Sasuke was several meters in front of him, battling the badly-wounded man._

_"He...got...you...didn't he...?" Tenzo managed to asked. Shikamaru was too stunned to say anything. He merely stared, watching the life drain out of his dear Taichou. And the blood - it was everywhere...making a puddle on the floor...mingling with the dirty rain._

_The words "I'm sorry" wasn't nearly enough, but it was all Shikamaru could come up with in his blood-stained mind. "Let, let me get the first aid kit," he stuttered, his usual stoic demeanor replaced with panic. He quickly rose to look for their ANBU pack, but stopped abruptly as Tenzo grasped his leg lightly._

_"Don't, Shikamaru..." Tenzo pleaded. "The Hokage...is more important...than I...take him...and run...and survive..."_

_Shikamaru shook his head desperately. "Why...why did you so foolishly let me kill you?"_

_Tenzo smiled - Shikamaru would never understand why people liked to smile before they died. "It...was...a mere sacrifice...necessary...to...protect...our village...and you...you were unstoppable..." Shikamaru's eyes widened in realization. _

_"Now, go...!"_

_Shikamaru gathered up Naruto - who felt quite limp in his arms, and began to ran. But he looked last back one last time, regretting later that he did so. He saw a half-dead Kakashi, his face sorrowful and regretful as he gazed upon his killer - his own student. Sasuke had him up pinned up against a tree, stabbing sword after sword into the man._

_Shikamaru suddenly felt like retching, but pressed on, running as quickly as his legs let him._

_Although, he had no more will to survive, he pressed on...for a lost cause, a lost village, a lost Hokage..._

* * *

Shikamaru woke with a start, his back soaked up with sweat. His bloodshot eyes stared emptily ahead as his breaths came in shallow gasps. The Nara attempted to sit up, his head swimming as he tried to blink away the bitter memories.

"You're finally awake."

The Nara gasped at the familiar voice. Didn't...didn't he just kill the man? How would he face...? But the Tenzo he saw sitting at the desk was much younger - and watching him with a bit of concern on his maskless face. It came rushing back to him then, and Shikamaru was almost relieved that he wasn't stuck to live through that horrible day.

He realized that he had been laying on Tenzo's bed, and he mumbled a soft apology for soiling the bed covers with his sweat.

"It's no problem," Tenzo said simply - an automatic reply. An awkward silence ensued as Tenzo fiddled with the ANBU mask in his hands. "You...you yelled a lot in your sleep. Bad dream?"

Shikamaru massaged his aching temple, where a horrible headache had a started. "It's not a dream," he corrected. "It's more like...memories."

"Memories?" The Nara could see Tenzo trying to put together the last piece of information he had just received. Shikamaru sighed heavily.

He had been careless so far, and if he only went on to hide it, it would only make him more suspicious. Perhaps trusting Tenzo was the best idea - after all, he had worked with the ANBU captain for years, and never had the man failed him. He doubt Tenzo had changed too much within the short fraction of time.

"What...what did I say?" he questioned. "In...in my dream?"

Tenzo frowned, but thought for a few moments. "You yelled Hokage-sama a lot...and Kakashi-senpai's name came up a few times..."

Shikamaru drew in a deep breath, forcing himself to look into Tenzo's face. "Tenzo-taichou," he began, noticing the ANBU look slightly surprised at being called his undercover name. "In my dream, or more accurately, memory, you and Kakashi-sensei...were killed protecting the Hokage-sama, or Naruto Uzumaki." He stopped, suddenly finding it hard to breathe. "Sixteen years into the future."

* * *

**Proofread and sneaking to work on it during class.**

**A review is really meaningful. Even ff it's only one word. I know, we're all lazy, but still... Expect another update soon. I tend to be less busy on weekdays, which is odd, where I usually alternate between working on two stories every other day.**

**~Tenzo**


	6. Deadly Information

**Again, thank you for reviewing. It means so much, and I'm sure as most of you are fellow writers, know what I mean.**

* * *

A long, tenseful silence ensued after Shikamaru had finished speaking. Tenzo had stopped fidgeting now - his normally stoic eyes was clouded with concentration as he tried to digest, or to even grasp, what Shikamaru had just said.

The Nara didn't blame him. When it came to time paradoxes, or even how the universe worked, grasping the mere concept became troublesome work. It was like trying to wrap his mind around complex math equations - he usually felt wasted after such brain exertions.

The "future" was mere memories to him now, yet they haunted him - and even though Shikamaru knew that he could make an impact to change the outcomes, the scars that were left on his soul would never leave him. He was a broken man, a person that could never be repaired.

His head suddenly throbbed with an unexpected spasm of pain and he grimaced in pain, putting a hand to his forehead. "Excuse me," he muttered, to which Tenzo nodded and pointed towards a door that led to the restroom.

Even after splashing his face with cold water, Shikamaru didn't feel relieved one bit. He stumbled out of the door, his hand set against the wall to steady himself.

"I don't know whether to believe you or laugh you off," Tenzo began cautiously. "But you seem to have provided sufficient evidence, regarding your actions."

"You can do whatever you like," Shikamaru said tonelessly, his face impassive now.

At this, Tenzo shook his head urgently. "Don't talk like that! Do you even realize how dangerous you are, Shikamaru!"

"...dangerous?" Shikamaru closed his eyes. "Do you think I really care for this world now? There's something here -" His hand came to his chest, resting directly over his heart. "Something here that weighs so heavy. Every second, every moment. I can't get rid of it. I never can."

He drew a deep breath, suddenly seeing the unforgettable image of his Hokage's dead body, bloodied and taunted at. "Hokage-sama entrusted me with the task of repairing the past. I don't see myself, the sole survivor of Konoha, and a mere child in this world, carrying out such a burden."

"Do you get it, Tenzo-taichou? I can't do it - I simply can't. Not like this. Not the unstable, mentally challenged person I am now." His knees gave way as he slowly sank to the ground, defeated.

There was a long silence, followed by the scraping of a chair as Tenzo stood up from his desk. "I...I have to go. On a mission. I'll be back by night, so stay here if you wish."

Shikamaru merely mumbled a reply.

"But, listen, Shikamaru. You know the future. And if someone ambitious gets their hands on it...it could be for the worse. They can predict events and correct their mistakes to become a formidable force. Although I'm the only one that knows of your...condition right now..." The door opened and Tenzo took a step out. "Oh, and..."

The floor shook as Shikamaru felt something metal land besides him.

"I forgot to give that back to you." There was a pause - the ANBU looked as if to be contemplating something. "...Take care, Shikamaru," he finished and the apartment door slammed shut.

It wasn't until a considerable time later did Shikamaru decide to glance at the object besides him. Tenzo had returned his kunai. He ignored the weapon, closing his eyes, and leaning back against the wall.

But he couldn't resist for long - a moment later, he snatched up his precious weapon, holding it to himself, unable to stop the sudden flow of tears that ran down his face. Curling up on the floor, the Nara eventually fell asleep, exhausted from the day's events.

* * *

_"Happy Birthday, Shikamaru!" Naruto's smile was unusually wide today - in his hands was a curious, wrapped-up object. It had the shape of a kunai._

_"It's...it's not my birthday," Shikamaru replied, slightly irritated. "What's that for anyways?"_

_"Take it."_

_"What is it?"_

_"Don't be so ungracious, Shikamaru, and just take it!" Naruto shoved the item into his hands._

_It wasn't too surprising - Shikamaru had guessed right. It **was **a kunai, but he didn't expect the weapon to be so heavy. The Nara's eyes widened as he slipped it out from its protective case. _

_"So, do you like it?" Naruto crossed his arms, regarding Shikamaru with a curious gaze._

_"...how, how much was this?" Shikamaru gasped. "This - this is..."_

_"Osmium. Processed at a very high cost - the man ensured me that it would never break in battle, even against the strongest of blades," Naruto finished. "So, how do you like it? Look, it even glows at night!"_

_"I can't accept this, Hokage-sama!" Shikamaru resheathed the weapon and thrust it back at Naruto. "It belongs in your worthy hands."_

_"Don't give me your honor shit. You are fully deserving of that. I even signed it just for you!"_

_"No, Hokage-sama, no..." The Nara shook his head stubbornly. "I simply can't-"_

_Naruto groaned and turned to leave the room. "Shut the fuck up, Shikamaru. I even paid out of my own pocket! Accept the dam thing and say you're thankful." The Rokudaime grumbled all the way into the hall. "Holy Hokage, I swear, one day I'll..."_

_Shikamaru remained inside the Hokage's office, even when the door slammed shut. He sighed heavily, taking out the kunai to examine it once more. Near the handle, he saw a small, and very recognizable handwriting. "Naruto Uzumaki," it said. Next to it was a perfectly engraved picture of Ichiraku's Miso Ramen._

_Shikamaru rolled his eyes. Somehow, ramen just didn't fit in with idea of killing people. He suddenly imagined Naruto whacking enemy ninja with a hot bowl of noodle, and nearly laughed out loud._

_He strapped the kunai next to his pouch, and left the place._

* * *

Shikamaru woke, feeling warm sunlight on his face. His face was implanted on the wooden floor - no doubt, there would be ugly marks left on his cheeks for the rest of the day. Groaning, he lifted himself into a sitting position.

What time was it? He glanced around for a clock, but found none in Tenzo's room. His eyes trailed to the window - the sun was getting close to the climax of the sky. Nearly afternoon. The Nara had slept for way too long.

Oddly enough, Tenzo hadn't returned yet, and it would certainly be rude of Shikamaru if he decided to make the ANBU's apartment his new living space. He stood, picking up his kunai, and stumbled unevenly towards the door.

But even before his hand came to close to the knob, the door flew open in his face, startling him. Two ANBU stood in the doorway, one that Shikamaru recognized well. "Dad?" he exclaimed out loud.

"Shikamaru?" Shikaku sounded surprised. "What...what are you doing in Yamato's apartment?"

"Well..." the younger Nara scratched his head sheepishly. "I didn't thank him properly the other day, so eh..."

"I see."

Shikamaru sighed. No doubt his father didn't believe him, but that confrontation would come later.

"But you would have to leave now, son. We're about to carry out some work here."

"Some work?"

"Yes, Shikamaru." Shikaku guided his son towards the door. "Go home now. Your mother has prepared lunch."

But Shikamaru refused to leave. "Where's Yamato-san?" he demanded.

Shikaku groaned. This was getting troublesome. "Shikamaru, listen to your father for once. Please go home."

"No, Yamato-san said he would be back! I have to know!"

Shikaku sighed heavily. He really had no problem with trusting his son, but this was top secret ANBU information. Nonetheless, after making sure his teammate was properly occupied with a task, he motioned for Shikamaru to come close to him.

"I'll get in a lot of trouble if they find out I told you, so go home immediately after this," Shikaku said softly. "But...Yamato..."

His father's tone was cold - Shikamaru suddenly found himself fearing the worst.

"Yamato has been killed during the last mission."

* * *

**I had to let him die or I swear, this story would turn into a completely other thing. For some reason, those two characters always get dumped together in my stories. I don't even know how it happens.**

**I apologize for the shortness of this chapter. The next one will be considerably long - as I'm sure we need to know who killed Yamato, and Shikamaru needed some motivation.**

**I'll begin working a lot much harder on this story - I feel like it's in crappy quality right now.**

**Have a pleasant day.**

**~Tenzo.**


	7. Memorial Stone

**No, I am not dead. However, I am lacking of a proper computer, and am very behind schedule in my pitiful life.**

**That "proper computer" should arrive soon in early-mid November. Until then, expect slower updates.**

* * *

"D-dead?" Shikamaru suddenly found it hard to breathe - the blood drained out of his face as he stared at his father with wide eyes.

Shikaku nodded his head, sympathy written across his face. "Yes. Please go home now, son."

But the younger Nara couldn't move. Something like an empty void had opened within him, threatening to swallow his entire body, his entire existence into infinite darkness. His vision blurred abruptly, only to be replaced with a smiling image of Tenzo's last moments. The blood flowed freely from the ANBU captain's mouth - he struggled to breathe from the sword, no_, Shikamaru's _sword.

_Forgive me, cried Shikamaru desperately. I...I didn't...mean..._

_...I tried to protect Naruto-sama...Hokage-sama..._

_Forgive me!_

"Shikamaru! Oi! Shikamaru! Snap out of it!" His world was shaking - the memories cleared away only to be replaced with his father's anxious face.

"I...I..." Shikamaru purposely directed his enervated eyes from Shikaku. He sat up, struggling out of his father's grasp. "I'll go back home..."

Shikaku frowned as he watched Shikamaru attempt to stand on two very unsteady legs. "Are you sure you can handle it, son?"

Shikamaru merely nodded his reply and began a rather wobbly walk towards the Nara household. "I'll...I'm not feeling too good. I'll go take a nap, father."

His father grunted a reply. "Make sure you're all rested up."

Shikamaru nearly sighed out loud. He knew that tone of voice all too well - no doubt his father would be questioning him severely later on. The Nara had not done a very good job at concealing his mental issues - he couldn't remember the last time his emotions had spun so far from his control.

It was a quick, but dizzy walk home. Fortunately, his mother had already left the house, perhaps for some grocery shopping. There was a bowl of rice left on the dining table, no doubt for him, however, he had no appetite to spare.

He headed straight for his room, collapsing upon his bed. But having woken not long ago, he wasn't tired enough to fall asleep. His mind was thick with fleeting thoughts, and the usual process of organizing them all seemed much longer than usual.

But as his head finally cleared enough for logical thinking, Shikamaru began to ponder who exactly had murdered Tenzo. He had no details, no reports from the ANBU mission that the captain had went on. What he was left with was the man's last words and...

Oh shit.

_..."But, listen, Shikamaru. You know the future. And if someone ambitious gets their hands on it...it could be for the worse. They can predict events and correct their mistakes to become a formidable force. Although I'm the only one that knows of your...condition right now..."_

What if that same person had murdered Yamato himself?

Shikamaru quickly corrected himself. There was no chance that anyone could have possibly listened in on his conversation with Tenzo! In fact, they hadn't even talked in the present world yet...

But it was undeniable. Whoever had gotten Tenzo was out there for Shikamaru's memories.

And it was without doubt that he was the next target.

* * *

"HEYYYY, SHIKAMARU!" The boisterous voice was unmistakable. He had only returned from a short walk from his clan's forest when he saw Naruto standing with Jiraiya at Konoha's front gate.

"Hey, Naruto," Shikamaru greeted, suddenly aware of the exhaustion in his voice. Luckily for him, the jinchuriki took no notice.

"Guess where Ero-Sennin and I are going?" Naruto continued, an excited grin on his face. With a sudden motion, he took hold of Shikamaru's shoulders, shaking it widely back and forth.

The Nara sighed heavily. _I don't think anyone in existence could wipe that ridiculous smile off your face right now._

Shikamaru shrugged in response, glancing up with tired eyes into Naruto's face, then brushing off the other boy's hands with his own. "Yes, yes," he intoned. "You're going with Jiraiya-sama to your two years of training, no?"

Naruto froze with geniune surprise. "How do you know, Shikamaru?"

"How would I not know?" the Nara replied with irritation. "You yelled it in my ear after we came back from-" He stopped in mid-sentence. _Hold on a minute. I never led that mission to rescue Sasuke after that Chunin Exam. If I didn't, then..._

Looking up, he realized that Jiraiya was regarding him with a curious, yet somewhat suspicious look. "My apologies," he muttered almost immediately, sliding his hands into his pocket. "I'll...be going."

Naruto waved enthusiastically. "GOODBYE, SHIKAMARU! I'll see you soon!"

The Nara merely nodded in response, already halfway through the gate and in the village. Trusting Naruto with Jiraiya was no problem...after all, the Akatsuki weren't that prominent during this era anyways.

But it did mean two years...two years of doing nothing.

He shook his head in disagreement almost immediately. Two years? Two years of _peace? _Had he just wished for such a thing? How ridiculous. Whether it was from his colliding memories, or Yamato's death, he was certain that he wouldn't pass through the future years without obstacles.

Lost in thought, Shikamaru nearly tripped over something stony beneath his feet. Glancing down, he realized he was staring at a gravestone - actually, rows of rows of gravestones. It wasn't a moment did he recognize the place as Konoha's memorial stone.

He sighed - here he was back here again, an unshakable habit that had caused him no end of trouble ever since he had stepped foot in the past. But this time, he wouldn't be captured so carelessly by some ANBU, and not certainly his father. He had plenty of time now.

Shikamaru turned his gaze onto the memorial stone. Countless names were engraved on one surface of it, but if any normal shinobi were to glance on the other areas, they would see smooth and clean marble.

But Shikamaru was no ordinary ninja - to him, the empty spaces were filled with rows of rows of dead comrades. He knew each and every one of those names, where exactly they were, and who they were. He bent, running his hand over a small indent at the very bottom of the rock. "_Temari..." _he whispered softly, loving images of his lost wife filling his empty mind.

Gripped by an aching feeling, he let his head collide into the memorial stone, closing his eyes as he did so. "_I won't let you die this time...promise..." _he whispered into the stone.

Somewhere in between his reminiscing, he sensed another presence appear besides him, silent and oddly familiar. However, he never moved, and remained in his position for over an hour. It wasn't until there was a light tap on his shoulder and a mumble of his name did he break away from his mesmerizing state.

"Kakashi-sensei?" Shikamaru said softly as he glanced up. The same old shock of white hair quickly confirmed his guess - it was indeed Naruto's old sensei, here to recall his past. The Nara never knew much about the man's history, but he did kow that Kakashi's entire team were deceased, and back then, he couldn't even imagine how much pain that had had cost the man.

Impassive as ever, Kakashi didn't question Shikamaru's state, nor his teary face, and the Nara had always respected that trait. The jonin merely shrugged and indicated towards two village workers coming towards the stone. "They're here to engrave a new name."

Shikamaru stepped back to allow way for the two men. They immediately set to work, taking out set after set of technological machines. _The measure and position must be 100% accurate, _thought Shikamaru, studying the engraving process.

Silence fell over the individuals present at the memorial stone. Unexpectedly, after some time later, it was Kakashi who first talked. "So...if you don't mind me asking, who's being added to the stone? A villager or a shinobi?"

At this, Shikamaru started, a wave of grave realization pouring over him. He gasped audibly, his hands coming to his mouth. _Kakashi-sensei doesn't know of Tenzo's death yet...and they had been close friends for a long time with their senpai-kohai relationship._

Luckily, the awkward moment was interrupted by a worker. "Shinobi," one of the two men muttered in response.

Kakashi frowned deeply. "Shinobi? But I don't recall anyone being sent out on a mission other than..." His voice trailed off as the same shock hit him. "Him?..No way..." As the two village workers stepped back from their completed work, the Hatake's fears were confirmed.

The name "_Tenzo (Cat)" _now stood out clearly on the memorial stone, the newest addition to the list of deceased. Oblivious to the emotions coursing through the two ninja, the workers packed their instruments and left abruptly.

Instead of his usual companion, agony, confusion had taken up its place. Shikamaru traveled to the other side of the memorial stone, laying his hand on the bottom right of the marble. _This was where Tenzo-taichou was supposed to be. One of the very last ANBU to die._

He grimaced in concentration, once again struggling to pull back his consciousness to the past. No, Tenzo had already died - his living presence would no longer be in the past, nor in the future.

Moving his head past the memorial stone, he sneaked a look at Kakashi's face. The man was still in pure shock - his single visible eye was wide open with disbelief and his usual steady hands were trembling like autumn leaves.

A prominent chill of wind passed through the air, causing Shikamaru to shudder. Glancing up, he saw the sun setting in the distance. The day had passed too fast. It was time to go. Standing up, Shikamaru slid his hands into his pocket quietly and began walking towards the gate. However, as he passed Kakashi, he paused for a moment.

"I'm...sorry...Kakashi-sensei," he whispered, barely audibly. The man didn't respond nor move.

Closing the gate behind him, Shikamaru couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of regret. He owed the dead ANBU much, in both of his chaotic worlds. _Take care, Shikamaru..._had been Tenzo's last words.

In the end, the ANBU's passing was heart-wrenching and grievous, and having lived through two of them, and being the cause of both, it was a mental scar that would stay forever with Shikamaru. But if anything, it marked a new direction for the Nara - death was the beginning of another life and with Tenzo's, nothing, in the future or the past, would ever be the same.

* * *

He knew his father would question him to no end as soon as he got back home, so Shikamaru stalled a moment longer, retreating to his clan's forest right outside the borders of the village. Leaning against his favorite oak tree, he began petting his personal deer, Ferien (_German for "vacation") _absentmindedly as he stared at Naruto's kunai in his other hand. It remained the only item from his other painful, yet unforgettable world.

Shikamaru closed his eyes, exhausted, yet preventing himself from falling asleep. He was only here to rest, not to leave home again...

"Oh, it seems we've found a wanderer." A terrifyingly familiar and bone-chilling voice startled Shikamaru out of his sleepy state. Quickly stuffing the kunai away, he formed his clan's handsign as the expected speaker appeared from the trees.

Two men, clad in black cloaks designed with red clouds emerged into plain sight. Both were men he knew well, one he had personally taken care of with Yamato and several others. The other he knew even better - one that even he respected personally after learning his true intentions.

By now, Shikamaru had enough self-control not to shout out names or act foolishly. Falling back into a practiced ANBU state, he watched the two Akatsuki warily.

"What do you think, Itachi?" that same voice continued. "Do we take him now?"

Take him? They wanted to _take _him?

"No, Kisame." Itachi Uchiha turned to stare at the Nara, but he immediately responded by glancing away, careful not to look into the crimson Dojutsus.

"Oh?" Kisame Hoshigake continued to mock. "The kid's well-taught too. He knows about the Sharingan."

To this, Itachi did not reply. For a moment, none of them moved, then Kisame sighed heavily and lay a hand on the sword behind his back. "Are you going to move, Itachi? I'm getting impatient. The leader was spitting some shit about this kid's physical self flying through some untraceable path in the space-time dimension - not like I care what that means, but let's just grab him and go."

Shikamaru struggled to keep his face impassive as he digested the incredulous statement. _My physical self flying through an untraceable path in the space-time dimension? What? _

"He didn't say to 'grab him and go', Kisame," Itachi intoned. "He merely wanted us to check on the situation. A breach in the space-time dimension can apparently benefit the Akatsuki in some manner."

"...alright then." Without warning, Kisame disappeared from Shikamaru's sight. The Nara whirled widely, suddenly aware that the Akatsuki was behind him, and quickly retreated back, tossing a Chakra-infused kunai to the spot where he was seconds before.

"You're fast for one so young," Kisame complimented, appearing in Shikamaru's previous spot. "But unfortunately, you have a weak clan. With your jutsu and your chakra, you could not even imagine to overpower my own."

Shikamaru didn't need to know that - having plotted the very strategies used against the man, he realized his only option right now was to set some trap and escape back into the village. How foolish had he been to leave the Konohan borders.

He dug into his vest, only to realize that his usual smoke bombs wasn't there. Shit, he wasn't even wearing his usual clan's outfit! He had left his weapons vest back in his bedroom, having expected not to encounter any enemies. These days, the Nara was just amazed at his own stupidity. He was almost certain that if he was to test again on any IQ test, it would be lower than Naruto's.

Strong arms wrapped around him, and he felt his face being forced in Itachi's direction. "He's all yours now," Kisame said invitingly. Staring into the depths of Itachi's Mangekyou Sharingan, Shikamaru desperately tried to clear his mind, blocking out all memories and knowledge.

_"__That's smart, but not smart enough..." _Itachi's voice echoed all around him as he was undoubtedly dragged into the Uchiha's Tsukuyomi world. Each of Shikamaru's breath echoed back around him as he glanced around to find himself in some sort of dark cage.

_"Your mental prowess is nothing compared to my own..." _Shikamaru suddenly noticed the Akatsuki standing right outside of the cage, the familiar stoic look never disappearing from his face.

"I suppose it is no use resisting." Shikamaru knew not what Itachi's intentions were, but he knew the man to have a pure heart and as much as he hated himself for it, taking advantage of it could easily be the only way out of this situation. "So why has your leader decided to target me?"

"I am not obliged to give you that information." Itachi motioned with his hand and something cold burst out of the ground from Shikamaru's feet and wrapped around his body. The Nara struggled, but found he could not move even an inch.

"You do realize if you take whatever is in my mind," Shikamaru continued. "You could easily danger Konoha. My memories aren't meant for anyone else to possess. They are to die quietly along with I. I beg you to reconsider."

A hard look had appeared in Itachi's eyes. "And what exactly do you know?"

The Nara closed his eyes, contemplating his answer. "...everything."

"Hmph." Without warning, a sharp pain burst through his head as vivid images began flashing before his eyes. He bit his lip hardly in order to keep from screaming as his very own memories were extracted from him - but suddenly, the flow stopped unexpectedly.

Struggling to recover from the pain, Shikamaru's vision cleared to reveal a half-bent Itachi, the pain clear on the Uchiha's face. The Tsukuyomi world began to fade around them as Shikamaru suddenly found himself free of Itachi's Genjutsu and back on the ground in the forest.

"Itachi, what's wrong?" Kisame towered over the Nara, preventing escape.

"It's...it's nothing." Itachi slowly stood, the agonizing look on his face quickly fading away to his usual impassive one. "I have seen what I need to seen. There is no need to take the boy with us."

Kisame raised an amused eyebrow. "Whatever you say, Itachi."

Leaving the Nara on the ground, the two swiftly exited the forest. Head still throbbing from the Genjutsu, Shikamaru lay facedown in the grass, panting. It was unmistakable. Itachi had seen everything that would happen in the future - so why had the Uchiha reacted in such a manner?

He was sure the pain was mental, not physical. Itachi would never react in such a manner upon receiving physical wounds. Then it hit the Nara. It was Sasuke. Itachi must have saw what kind of monster Sasuke had become.

Shikamaru gathered up his ninja tools, aware that he had barely avoided death with two Akatsuki. But now, Itachi was another living shinobi aware of the future. How would it change everything?

_"Knowledge is a burden, a curse..." _That was what his father used to say. Shikamaru had merely planned to fix some mistakes he had made during the course of his lifetime, but now, he barely dared to think what kind of bomb he had set off.

He headed back to home.

* * *

**Thank you for your reviews! I honestly could re-read them over and over for about an hour. **

**Rinnala: **What you're saying comes off a bit confusing to me. Are you saying Shikamaru would somehow connect together that he was the cause of both of their deaths? Well, he certainly caused Yamato's death, but he didn't cause the Third Hokage's. At the time, he hadn't affected the time frame yet. And yes, he needs some of that motivation! I hope I didn't just deliver another cliffhanger here either.

**XxStarLitxX: **Ah, well, thank you very much. I'm usually prone to thinking most of my stories aren't of the highest quality...they're merely ideas that jump randomly in my head on some boring math day. And Shikamaru...well, he isn't taking the news very well, at least not for the second time. This is my first Shikamaru-centered story, to be honest...

**Kiki Bombay: **Well, that's rare. I don't meet many people who like Yamato. I don't know why. It's odd. I guess it's mainly because of the way he's drawn. And honestly? I remember seeing a scene in the anime with Shikamaru and Yamato at a bar, and I was like "that's the spirit!" And again, I appreciate your compliment. I'm hardly obliged to accept it.

**NobodyInParticular: **Yep, you don't see much Shikamaru TimeTravel FanFictions...don't think I've ever read one. And I don't think there will be any more flashbacks for awhile.

**Linaewen110: **It's a tough ride for Shikamaru, that's for sure. Not to mention, he had caused both of those deaths in one way or the other. I can't imagine myself living with such burdens. Sometimes I think I go overboard with angst, and my writing style isn't always satisfactory to me. And yes, all will be answered soon.

**It'll be more plot now, and less agonizing. Let the bullets fly!**

**Have a pleasant day.**

**~Tenzo.**


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